Caster



E. SCHULTZ @ASTER Aug. 31 1926 Filed Nov. 24, 1924 mfafa EL WARD Sow ULTZ M@ Mlaga@ Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

Unirse star-ss ipe-7,925

EDWARD SCHULTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO'JAMES LADD. OF` DES MOINES, iowa.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a swiveling caster for furniture and the like.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide an improved thimble with means for engaging frictionally with the caster stem whereby the stem is held removably and replaceably therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved thimble with means for engaging a socket in the load object.

A further `object of this invention is to provide an improved combination including a stem-receiving thimble adapted to be inserted in a socket in the load object, and a reinforcing ferrule seated in an annularV groove concentric with the socket to prevent splittingof thewood in which the'soclret is formed. j j

With these and other objects inl view, my linvention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed `out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a view showing the caster in` elevation and the bearing thimble, load object and .ferrule in vertical section, these members being assembled as required for practical use. the thimble. Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the means on the thimble forl engaging the stem andthe load object. Fig-` ure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the sleeve yof the thimble is formed.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the lower portion of the thimble, showing aslightly modified form.

The construction of the caster itself forms no part of my present invention, and in the accompanymg drawing a caster yof conventional form is shown, comprising a roller 10- sion 15.

A bearing thimble is formed oftwo parts, a sleeve Jortion 16 and a base 17. The sleeve portion is formed from a blank of rectangun lar strip shape shown in Figure 4, said blank.

Figure 2 is an elevation of' CASTER.

Application filed November 24, 1924. Serial No. 751,816.

comprising a body 1S, having U-shapedV notches 19, 2O on opposite sides, and project- `ing lugs 21, 22 opposed to said notches. The

lugs 21, 22 are of the same general shape as the notches, but of slightly less dimensions, so that they may project within said notches without contacting their margins, when the sleeve is formed as shown in LFigure 2. The notch 19 and lug 21 are spaced in one direction from the center of therbody 18 a distance corresponding to the spacing of the notch 2O and lug 22 in the opposite direction from such center. The body 18 is also formed with a pair of projecting teeth 23, 24, substantially triangular in form and located respectively between the lugs 21, 22 and the ends ofthe strip, the ends of the teeth nearest the ends of the strip being substantially at right angles to the side margins of the strip so asto form square shoulders. In forming the sleeve 16, the blank` is'bent 'and shaped, by the use of suitable dies, being bent practically double at-its center and curved to form a top bearing adapted to conform to' andv rest yon the bearing point 14 of the stem 13, and the opposite portions of the Vbody of said blank beingshaped to semii lower end of the sleeve nearly to the upper end thereof.4 The teeth 23, 24 are bent `out wardly'on` they dotted lines 26-of Figure 4, substantially at right angles totheir original positions, so that'theyproj ect radially of the sleeve and on opposite sides'thereof.,` as shown most clearly in Figure 3. In the forming operation the lugs 21, 22 are caused to enter, respectively, thenotches 2O and. 19,

and are also twisted on lines longitudinally of the sleeve, so that their upper margins project inwardly past the inner surface of the wall of the sleeve, as shown in Figure 3. The lower margins `of the twisted lugs project but little, if any, beyond-the outer surface 'of the wall of the sleeve,-but are bent to form bearing shoulders 27 (Figure 3) having'a function which will be made clear, The base 17 of the thimble is a disl; of annular form adapted. to slip overv the lower end of the sleeve iti-end he secured therein,

As shown, the ends of the sleeve are bent and shaped` on the transverse lines 28 (Figcavo-convex in section,wliereby a peripheral iiange 31 is formed. y A

The load object 32 which maybe the leg ,of an article of'furniture, is formed with a l -i`o`re or socket k33 extendinglupwardly from its lower surface, Vof a diameter to receive snugly v the sli-ievfe116, whicli owingto its meth-od of construction, and the presence suiliciently toj resistedorts to rremove `it A .unless some little force.' is applied.. The

teeth 23,221 ofthe sleevebite fand gouge into vthe Vwood of the object 32,-as thesleeve is inserted, and resist a tendency of the sleeve tomove in said object after fit-isseated, parf tie'uflarly any tendencytoward rotary Inove- 'nient vin the bore or-socketg The bearing Y shoulders 27 ofgthe lugs 21,22 liavefbearing .against the wall of the `bor'e or socket 33,. and resist anytendency of lsaid lugs to moveoutwardly on` radialjlines.' The stein 1 3 ofthe. caster ki'sinsertedin thesleeve from below, and the upper.. endthereof` moves past the twisted lugs 21', 22,@causing them to spring outwardly enough to permit the ystenitor pass, until said lugs snap into the annular depression 15 ofthe stein, `and the st-emis prevented from dropping out by engagement oi' the upper `margins of;

said lugs with the 'shoulder at the upper end of said depressiony` .as clearly shown in Figure 3. However, this depression is not ofsu'ch depth, or the shoulderl at` its upper end of suliicient prominence, to prevent vpurposeful withdrawal' ofthe caster stem whenmanualgforce-'is applied' for that purf.- wall of the bore, to normally hold the4 lugs engagement with the stem and prevent' accidental withdrawal The lower end of the load object 32 preferably isformed Vwith an annular vgroove 34:4

(Figure 1) concentric with Ythebore or socket A ferrule 35fis provided, having a central hole to receive the sleeve 16,*` Vits body underlying' that portion of the load' object between the bore or socket 33 and the annular groove 34, and its rim beii'igl received, by a tight .drive fit, within Said groove.` The riniof the ferr'ule 35 ts snug;-V .ly .against and enibracesthe annular portion- `Vofthe load object between ythe gi'oove and i i' Figure 11.,

the bore, and prevents any tendency to ksplit or give Way which might be vcaused by insertion of'th'esleeve, and in use strengthensl v andreinforcessuch portion of the yload obect. It is of`l course applied before the himble is put in place, and as it is of less diameter than the base 1 7 of the thimble,y

which is kdished or concaved asy before re' 7^c ited,the. peripheralii'ange 31 of said base may contact the lower surface of the load object outside ofthe erri'ile showi'i in lf desired, the' 31 of the vbaseinay be formed with 'teeth or .serr'atons 3 1 on its -upper margimzassliown in' Figui-e5I which Vmaybe caused to ypenetrate'the load obof the vertical slits 25,is'of somewhatref i silientrnature so' that itj .will yield to permit insertion in the bore orsocket, and expand jectr- In use the'parts 'areassembled Aas/shownk and described, and; the Castery stem may swivel freely in the sleeve 16, theupper end vof'wliichrests on tli e bearingpoint 14 Vof the stein, whereby the load is borne on the upper 4'end of the caster stein. The' .stem fits vquite closely within the vsleeve. (eXcept that portion Vcontaining the depression 15) so that latral movementro .the-.Stem in the sleeve is reduced to a minimum, andefiiicieiicy. o f thejcaster is .maintained over Ia longperiod of use.

The' provision ofVK tlietjwisted lugs 22,

`with their; shouldered; bearingsy oriheels 27 yengag'i,ng.thewall o fithe bore, 33 at'diametri- -cally opposite points, isb"elie ved to be 'of eX- treme importance. YThis arrangement eliminates a.k great trouble commonly found in topl bearingeasters, namelyfthe tendency induced by vtraifel-oii thecaster over 'rough surfaces, to loosenthe stem in the sleeve: or thimble,x and Vthe sleeveor'thimble inthe 1 bore,A by` repeated-pounding with a considerable lever" a-dvantage the caster f uleruming and oscillating on a point near the lower end of the stein, In my caster the oscillation is prac- -ti'cally, eliminated byvmeans of the lugs 21,

22 as before stated, their 'bearing'on the wall of thebo're, aridthe fact that the upper naled in the solid upper end of the sleeve above said lugs; j

Tlie'elinii-nation of teeth `on thebase 17 ofthe "thiinble, which` sow-frequently `cause splitting of'. the. leg whenv driven in,- and -qftlie u'secof the reenforcingierrule 3 5 in an annular groove previously provided, arealso engagiiig tlieload object within .the bore; vl olaim as,myinvention-` 1. A caster having a stein vand athimble f enclosing the same, said stern being formed with depression between its ends,l said thinible being formed with a verticalslit and with-a' lug projectinglaterally from a mar-i" ill).

Ail() Afend portion Y off the sterny is" securely .joiirf gin of said slit, and also formed with a notch on the opposite side of said slit to receive said lug, said lug being twisted between its ends whereby the upper portion of its free end projects interiorly of the thimble and is adapted to engage in the depression of said stein.

2. The combination with a load. object formed with a bore and a caster having a stem,` of a sleeve adapted to lit snugly within said bore, Said sleeve being formed with a vertical slot, a lug integrally formed at one margin of said slot and twisted 0n a line longitudinally of the sleeve so that the upper portion of its free end projects interiorly of the sleeve, said stem being adapted to fit snugly within said sleeve and formed with a depression within which the inwardly projecting upper portion of said twisted lug projects, the lower portion of said twisted lug lying outside of its normal vertical plane so as to bear against the wall of the bore and tending to prevent outward movement of said lug.

3. The combination with a load object having a bore and a caster stein thimble adapt-ed to be inserted therein, said load object being formed with an annular groove concentric with said bore,'o -a reenforcing ferrule adapted tovbe inserted in said groove and to embrace the portion of the load object between said groove and the bore, saidv tliiinble being provided with a base disk below said iferrule and greater in diameter and l'orined with a peripheral flange extending upwardly a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the base portion of said errule, the flange of said base disk adapted to engage the load object concentrically of said annular groove. Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 10th day of October, 1924.

EDWARD SCHULTZ, 

